1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to protection devices for limbs and, more particularly, to a protection device especially adapted for protecting a wearer's knee.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Limbs are often in need of protection from trauma. Joints such as wrists, elbows, ankles, and knees are especially susceptible to injury, and injured joints are in special need of therapeutic treatment. One form of therapeutic treatment that is often employed is the application of cold temperatures, most often in the form of ice. The direct application of ice has a clear disadvantage in the liquid water that results when the ice melts. In this respect, it would be desirable if cold temperatures can be applied to injured joints without causing a flow of liquid water resulting from melting ice.
When an injury to a joint occurs, the quicker that cold temperatures are applied to the injured joint, the better in order to keep swelling down. Conventional ice packs take quite a bit of time to get ready and apply when minutes and even seconds are important. Conventional ice packs are generally secured to a joint with elastic bandages which are wrapped around both the injured joint and the ice pack. The wrapped process is especially time consuming. In this respect, it would be desirable if cold temperatures can be applied to injured joints without the need for wrapping with an elastic bandage.
Conventional ice packs are often big and clumsy and often fit loosely without providing an even distribution of cold to an injured area. In this respect, it would be desirable if cold temperatures can be applied to injured joints with a tight fit and with an even distribution of cold to the injured area.
There may be some injuries to a joint for which treatment is application of cold temperatures along with bending of the joint in a normal way. However, when a conventional ice pack and an elastic bandage are employed, there may be substantial difficulty in having the joint bend in the normal way. In this respect, it would be desirable if cold temperatures can be applied to an injured joint while permitting the joint to bend in a normal way.
There may be times when an injury is sustained near a joint, but not actually on the joint. However, if a conventional ice pack and elastic bandage are employed, the proximity of the joint may cause the joint to be prevented from bending in a normal way even though the joint itself is not injured. In this respect, it would be desirable if cold temperatures can be applied to an injured area near a joint without preventing normal bending of the nearby joint.
To treat an injured joint or an injured area near an uninjured joint of a limb with cold temperatures, it is often desirable to substantially encompass the limb areas in the vicinity of the joint with cold temperatures. For example, if an injury is sustained on the front side of the limb, it may be desirable to apply cold temperatures to both the front and rear sides of the limb.
In a number of popular sports, knee injuries are especially common. In this respect, it would be desirable if cold temperatures can be applied to injured knees without causing a flow of liquid water resulting from melting ice, without the need for wrapping the knee with an elastic bandage, with using a tight fit, with providing an even distribution of cold to the injured area, with permitting the knee to bend in a normal way, and with substantially encompassing the knee and areas is the vicinity of the knee with cold temperatures.
Thus, while it is well known to use ice packs on limbs and joints, there is presently a need for an articulated knee protection apparatus which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) permits cold temperatures to be applied to injured joints without causing a flow of liquid water resulting from melting ice; (2) permits cold temperatures to be applied to injured joints without the need for wrapping the joints with an elastic bandage; (3) permits cold temperatures to be applied to injured joints with a tight fit and with an even distribution of cold to the injured area; (4) permits cold temperatures to be applied to an injured joint while permitting the joint to bend in a normal way; (5) permits cold temperatures to be applied to an injured area near a joint without preventing normal bending of the nearby joint; (6) provides for substantially encompassing the limb areas in the vicinity of the joint with cold temperatures; and (7) permits cold temperatures to be applied to injured knees without causing a flow of liquid water resulting from melting ice, without the need for wrapping the knee with an elastic bandage, with using a tight fit, with providing an even distribution of cold to the injured area, with permitting the knee to bend in a normal way, and with substantially encompassing the knee and areas is the vicinity of the knee with cold temperatures.
The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique articulated knee protection apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.